Chapter 3


    Aaron rubbed his forehead in frustration. "I wish I could say that it''s not a big deal, Riley but I can''t


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    because this could go out of our hands at any point of time. Jackson is out there somewhere doing god


    knows what, all because he tricked you into thinking he was Paul Bet."


    "I know. He was just too convincing, Aaron. If you were in my ce you''d probably mistake him for a


    doctor as well. Trust me." I pleaded, this time the tears trickled down my face without me even realizing


    it. This was a big deal. A psychopathic patient was out in the open because of my mistake. I could lose


    my job, or worse, someone could get hurt.


    "Paul wants you out of this wing." He said handing me a box of Kleenex.


    "Just what I needed!" I said sarcastically.


    Marvin, the ward boy came rushing into the room without even knowing. The short, timid guy seemed


    agitated.


    "What is it, Marvin?" Aaron asked.


    "You''re not going to like this, doctor." He said and without waiting he added. "We got the news that a


    white Nissan was stashed in the woods a few miles away from the hospital. Someone broke into an


    apartment nearby and the man was found unconscious on the floor with..."


    "Bite marks?" Aaronpleted for him.


    Marvin swallowed. He was terrified of even talking about it. "A chunk of flesh seems to be missing from


    the shoulder area."


    Aaron sighed, "It''s Jackson."


    "Oh my god!" I whispered before my head began spinning and I heard someone shout for help.


    When I opened my eyes, I realized I was still in Aaron''s room. I was lying down on his patient checkup


    bed. I sat up straight and from the thin curtains, I could see Aaron and Paul speaking to each other. It


    sounded coherent because my brain was still taking time to process what had happened until now.


    It was Paul. The real Paul, one with the freckles and the face of Archie, talking to Aaron. It could also


    be categorized as an argument. He caught me staring at him and threw me a look, one that was full of


    disdain and I didn''t me the guy. If I''d been tied up to the bed by a lunatic and if the nurse refused to


    recognize me, I''d be mad too.


    "How are you feeling?" Good ol'' Aaron asked me. Still so nice and sweet despite how I had screwed


    up. "Can I get you a ss of water?"


    I nodded. "How long was I out?"


    "About an hour." He responded, reaching for the mini-refrigerator and handing me a small bottle of


    water.


    "Is that man...is he dead?" I asked, failing to keep the fear out of my voice. He snatched the bottle out


    of my hands and unscrewed the lid which is when I realized my hands were shaking.


    "He''s been rushed to the hospital," Aaron said. "Good news is that they were able to catch hold of


    Jackson."


    I heaved a sigh of relief. "So that means they are bringing him back here?"


    "Yes. Already on their way." Aaron smiled. "Don''t worry. Mistakes can happen, mostly where a loony


    like Jackson is concerned. Also, Paul tells me that when you thought he was Jackson, and when you


    entered the room, you removed his mouth restraint. Is that right?"


    "I did, but that was only because I came to give him lunch. You don''t expect a patient to eat with that


    thing on, do you?" That was directed towards Paul who had his hands folded across from his chest,


    looking bored.


    Paul took a step closer; he was almost in my face and said, "He asked you a question, you are


    supposed to answer with a yes or a no. Nurse."


    "What''s with his attitude, Aaron?" I asked.


    "Cool down, you guys. Cut that attitude, Paul. And Riley, from here on, whatever Jackson tells you,


    don''t mess with the mouth restraint unless necessary. Sometimes, well, most of the time he''s out of


    control and so we need to keep him strapped and his mouth restraint stays on. It''s not always, but if it''s


    on his face it''s for a reason. Jackson''s an animal disguised as a human being. He can be very


    maniptive; he is also smart and can use your weakness against you. Very dangerous indeed, but


    also a great subject for research."


    "Well, you guys are forgetting that if I hadn''t removed it, Paul would still be in crying on that bed like a


    damn pussy. So technically, you, Paul should be thanking me."


    "Thanking you?!" Paul shrieked. "My---"


    Aaron raised his hand. "Meanwhile, Riley, you can take a half-day off for now. I know you''ve been


    stressed out since morning, so get some sleep." Aaron said good-naturedly.


    Paul groaned. "Seriously, Dr. Shaw!" He didn''t wait for an answer as he stormed out of the room and


    mmed the door on his way out.


    Well, looks like I''m gonna have a new best friend in the wing. Note the sarcasm.


    "I''m fine, Aaron."


    Aaron seemed concerned. "I don''t want to seem rude, but the other staff here don''t think you can


    handle Jackson after what happened today. They want you to be assigned to another patient."


    I knew that the ''other staff'' specifically meant Paul Bet. He couldn''t even stand to look at my face


    and if I was being honest with myself, my confidence was slipping by the minute. What if Paul is saying


    the truth? What if I couldn''t handle Jackson? Then again, I wasn''t the type who would back out from a


    challenge. And that''s what Jackson was for me.


    A challenge.


    "Do you think you will be able to handle Jackson on your own? We will have twenty-four-hour security


    outside his room but I really don''t want to seem like I''m imposing this on you."


    "You''re not and I know I can handle him. I''m sure."


    "We didn''t have a choice. You''re the only experienced nurse that we have around here, and we couldn''t


    let Roxanne continue with being his nurse, I mean, not after what he..."


    Then he went silent.


    "I''m sorry. You were saying, Aaron? What did he do to Nurse Roxanne?"


    Aaron shrugged and a pauseter he said, "She was just paranoid. Jackson can be very intimidating


    and scary; she said she didn''t want to continue being his nurse. That''s all."


    I nodded, knowing full well that it wasn''t the truth entirely. Aaron was surely hiding something.


    ***


    Despite Aaron insisting that I took the day off, I refused. I was just too guilty about the whole thing for


    me to take some quality rest. I knew I would be restless even though Jackson was supposedly caught.


    My stomach groaned indicating that I was starving so I was headed down towards the hospital cafeteria


    to buy myself lunch when I noticed three muscr men and Marvin dragging someone forcefully with


    them.


    "Out of the way...everyone. Out of the way." They yelled as they made their way through the hallway.


    I backed against the wall. It was as if I knew who they were dragging along with them. I waited in the


    hallway, and there he was. The man who had pretended to be Dr. Paul Bet, the same deranged


    man who''d charmed his way out of the asylum like it was a piece of cake. His dark eyes watched me,


    and even with the mask holding his mouth shut, I swore I watched him grin like he was mocking me.


    The men began unlocking his room at the end of the hallway. I heard hoots and whistles from the other


    locked up patients as if Jackson was some kind of a hero like he''d just won a trophy in a championship.


    Before entering his room, he turned to face me and continued to stare until Marvin had to push him


    inside the room. My hands were balled into fists. I was furious, not just because of him but because I


    wondered how I could be this na?ve. I wanted to confront him.


    Dinner in the hospital was served early. That night, even with Aaron warning me against doing it, I


    decided to take the meal to Jackson''s room. This time I was more cautious than before. The security


    stood guard by his room who informed me that Jackson was resting. I walked inside and made sure the


    door wasn''t locked just in case I needed to make a run.


    Jackson was seated by the window in a wooden chair, leather straps around his wrists which were


    linked together. He probably heard me walk inside because he turned to face me, and he was grinning.


    It was weird to see him like that, in a patient''s blue uniform when just yesterday he''d deceived me by


    pretending to be the doctor. The handsome young doctor that may have charmed me into inviting him


    over a coffee.


    If that wasn''t cringe-worthy.


    Jackson didn''t have the hideous mouth restraint on, he grinned at me like he was meeting an old friend


    after a long time. "Nurse Riley." he drawled. "To what do I owe this honor?"


    * * *